Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery
The Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery podcast, hosted by Philip P. Arnold and Sandy Bigtree (Mohawk Nation), critically examines the historical and ongoing impacts of the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. Rooted in 15th-century papal edicts, this doctrine provided theological and legal justification for European colonialism, the seizure of Indigenous lands, and the subjugation of non-Christian peoples. The podcast explores how these principles became codified in U.S. law, from Johnson v. M’Intosh (1823) to Sherrill v. Oneida (2005), and continue to underpin contemporary legal, religious, and corporate frameworks. Featuring discussions with scholars, legal experts, and Indigenous leaders, the series sheds light on how this doctrine fuels environmental destruction, economic exploitation, and cultural genocide while also highlighting Indigenous resistance and calls for justice, land restoration, and the repudiation of these colonial structures. https://podcast.doctrineofdiscovery.org/
Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery
S02E03 - Johnson v M'intosh and Federal Anti-Indian Law with Peter d'Errico
We begin this episode with a land acknowledgement. Our hosts Prof. Philip P. Arnold and Sandy Bigtree (Mohawk Nation), begin by introducing our guest Peter d’Errico. He is Professor Emeritus of Legal Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is a regular blogger and frequent guest on the Red Thought series. Most recently, he is the author of Federal Anti-Indian Law: The Legal Entrapment of Indigenous People (New York: Bloomsbury, 2022). He is a member of the New Mexico Bar and was a staff attorney at the Diné Legal Services. He has litigated indigenous land claims, fishing rights, and native spiritual freedom rights in prisons. He regularly presents online seminars about Indigenous peoples' legal issues at redthought.org and elsewhere, including National Endowment for the Humanities and summer Institutes for Teachers on teaching Native American histories.
View the transcript and show notes at podcast.doctrineofdiscovery.org. Learn more about the Doctrine of Discovery on our site DoctrineofDiscovery.org.
